BIOL 530
We will use the latitudinal increase in diversity towards the equator as a launching point to explore how diversity forms, is maintained, and disappears, and why we find such dramatic variation in diversity around the world.
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Course discussions will focus on both evolutionary and ecological perspectives of diversity, and we will review various hypotheses to explain latitudinal diversity gradients.
Class schedule
Mondays 10:00 - 11:30am & Wednesdays 8:30 - 10:00am
Week 1 Mon, Jan 9, 2023 Introduction & complex questions in science
Wed, Jan 11, 2023 Strong inference **meet by Zoom**
Week 2 Mon, Jan 16, 2023 Multiple working hypotheses
Wed, Jan 18, 2023 Biological patterns across latitude
Week 3 Mon, Jan 23, 2023 A framework for studying diversity gradients
Wed, Jan 25, 2023 The latitudinal gradient through deep time
Week 4 Mon, Jan 30, 2023 Latitudinal Variation in Cladogenesis & Extinction
**Student presentations begin**
Wed, Feb 1, 2023 Janzen's Hypothesis - presenter: Claire; co-presenter: Katriona
Week 5 Mon, Feb 6, 2023 Asynchrony of Seasons Hypothesis - presenter: Brendan; co-presenter: Sterling
Wed, Feb 8, 2023 Shifting Ranges Hypothesis - presenter: Rachel; co-presenter: Nayla
Week 6 **no meetings** Paul away teaching field course
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Week 7 Reading week (February 20-24)
Week 8 Mon, Feb 27, 2023 Species Energy - Rates of Evolution Hypothesis - presenter: Caleb; co-presenter: Brendan
Wed, Mar 1, 2023 Biotic vs Abiotic Selection Hypothesis - presenter: Tara; co-presenter: Victoria
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Week 9 Mon, Mar 6, 2023 Geographic Area Hypothesis - presenter: Ailsa; co-presenter Izabelle
Wed, Mar 8, 2023 Species Energy - Number of Individuals Hypothesis - presenter: Kiely; co-presenter: Rachel
Week 10 Mon, Mar 13, 2023 Glacial Extinctions Hypothesis - presenter: Sarah; co-presenter: Ailsa
Wed, Mar 15, 2023 Tropical Niche Conservatism Hypothesis - presenter: Emma; co-presenter: Claire
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Week 11 Mon, Mar 20, 2023 Density-dependent Mortality Hypothesis - presenter: Katriona; co-presenter: Caleb
Wed, Mar 22, 2023 Climate Stability - Population Size Hypothesis - presenter: Nayla; co-presenter: Tara
Week 12 Mon, Mar 27, 2023 Biotic Interactions - Ecological Breadth Hypothesis - presenter: Sterling; co-presenter: Kiely
Wed, Mar 29, 2023 Evolutionary Time Hypothesis - presenter: Victoria; co-presenter Sarah
Week 13 Mon, Apr 3, 2023 Environmental Harshness Hypothesis - presenter: Izabelle; co-presenter: Emma
Wed, Apr 5, 2023 Wrap-up discussion
Grade breakdown
Presentation of hypothesis & predictions 30% instructions & rubric
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Co-presentation of critical assessment 15% instructions & rubric
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Major written paper 35% instructions & rubric
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In-class participation 20% instructions & rubric
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There are no formal exams in this class.
Class readings (I will send out readings each week by email)
Week 1 Mon, Jan 9, 2023 no readings
Wed, Jan 11, 2023 Platt 1964 Science 146:347-353
Week 2 Mon, Jan 16, 2023 Chamberlin 1965 Science 148:754-759
Wed, Jan 18, 2023 Hillebrand 2004 American Naturalist 163:192-211
Week 3 Mon, Jan 23, 2023 Jablonski et al. 2006 Science 314: 102-106
Wed, Jan 25, 2023 Mannion et al. 2014. TREE 29:42-50
Week 4 Mon, Jan 30, 2023 Weir & Schluter 2007 Science 315:1574-1576 &
Martin et al. 2007 J. Evol. Biol. 20:930-936
Wed, Feb 1, 2023 Ghalambor et al. 2006 Integr. & Comp. Biol. 46:5-17
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Week 5 Mon, Feb 6, 2023 Martin et al. 2009 Ideas Ecol. Evol. 2:9-17.
Wed, Feb 8, 2023 Dynesius & Jansson 2000 PNAS 97:9115-9120
Week 6 no readings
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Week 7 Reading week (Feb 20-24)
Week 8 Mon, Feb 27, 2023 Allen et al. 2006 PNAS 103:9130-9135
Wed, Mar 1, 2023 Schemske 2009 book chapter
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Week 9 Mon, Mar 6, 2023 Rosenzweig 1992 J. Mammalogy 73:715-730
Wed, Mar 8, 2023 Wright 1983 Oikos 41:496-506 &
Currie & Paquin 1987 Nature 329:326-327
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Week 10 Mon, Mar 13, 2023 Adams & Woodward 1989 Nature 339:699–701 &
McGlone 1996 Global Ecol. Biogeogr. Letters 5:309-314
Wed, Mar 15, 2023 Wiens & Donaghue 2004 TREE 19:639-644
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Week 11 Mon, Mar 20, 2023 Hille Ris Lambers et al. 2002 Nature 417:732-735
Wed, Mar 22, 2023 Connell & Orias 1964 Am. Naturalist 98:399-414
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Week 12 Mon, Mar 27, 2023 Dyer et al. 2007 Nature 448:696-699
Wed, Mar 29, 2023 Fischer 1960 Evolution 14:64-81 (excerpt only)
Week 13 Mon, Apr 3, 2023 Brown & Gibson 1983 (excerpt from book) &
Thiery 1982 Biological Reviews 57:671-710 (excerpt)
Wed, Apr 5, 2023 Jetz & Fine 2012 PLoS Biology 10:e1001292
